LFB changes fire alarm response policy

AXA Commercial is advising London businesses to review their fire risk assessments and staff training following a significant change in policy by the London Fire Brigade (LFB).

As reported by AXA UK, from October, LFB will no longer respond to daytime activations of automatic fire alarms in most non-residential buildings.

This change comes after LFB attended 52,000 false alarm calls in the year to March 2024.

The new policy will apply to automatic calls made between 7 am and 8.30 pm to reduce the burden on the brigade’s resources.

Dougie Barnett, AXA Commercial’s Director of Customer Risk Management, stated: “London Fire Brigade’s decision is in line with many other fire and rescue services across the UK and it’s crucial that London businesses are aware of the change.

“If there’s a fire, employees need to know to dial 999 during the working day because there won’t be an automatic response by the fire brigade like in the past.”

Businesses advised to update fire risk assessments

Barnett highlighted several key areas that businesses should focus on to prepare for the change.

These include updating fire risk assessments and providing additional staff training to ensure appropriate responses during working hours.

He emphasised: “The change will impact all businesses that have a remote connection to an alarm-receiving centre.

“It means their fire risk assessments will need to be updated and staff will require additional training to make sure they respond in the appropriate way in case of fire.”

Key recommendations include ensuring employees understand the need to dial 999 in the event of a fire, establishing an early identification system to determine false alarms, and maintaining the fire alarm system regularly to prevent false alarms.

Importance of staff training and system maintenance

To adapt to the new policy, Barnett advised businesses to deliver specific training to relevant staff on the messages displayed on the fire alarm panel and the actions required when an alarm is activated.

This includes identifying which detector has been triggered and deciding whether to evacuate the premises.

Additionally, businesses should ensure that their fire alarm systems are maintained by competent contractors and consider alternatives if their alarm signalling is connected to the BT RedCare system, which will be withdrawn in August 2025.

Barnett concluded: “This will be a significant change for London businesses that will impact their fire risk assessments.

“It’s important they prepare now and put plans in place so employees have the required training and knowledge before it comes into force.”

LFB response outside working hours

Despite the new policy, LFB will continue to respond to automatic alarms between 8.30 pm and 7 am.

This means that businesses must have clear procedures in place for fire safety and emergency responses during the daytime.